And when night comes, and you look back over the day and see how fragmentary everything has been, and how much you planned that has gone undone, and all the reasons you have to be embarrassed and ashamed: just take everything exactly as it is, put it in God’s hands and leave it with Him. Then you will be able to rest in Him — really rest — and start the next day as a new life. —Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein)

Yes, today is a new day … yesterday is finished…today I will try harder..be nicer..be better…with the grace of God.

The Annunciation is the revelation to Mary by the angel Gabriel that she would conceive a child to be born the Son of God. We celebrate this with the Feast of Annunciation on March 25, which as the Incarnation is nine months before the feast of the nativity of Jesus – Christmas.

We went to Mass this morning, we looked at Fra Angelico’s piece on the Annunciation. I nagged, er, reminded, the kids about their Lenten reading before I went to work meetings.

And on, and off, all day, I’ve prayed.

What about? I had a revelation of my own yesterday. Someone pointed out to me that I have a particular gift.

For me this was a revelation simply because I have always thought that this possible gift was no gift or talent but just part of my personality, just being me, and that my often outgoing personality, my garrulnousness if you like , could be/was/is somewhat of a pain to others. Especially to family.

In fatc, I’ve thought I’ve had no special gift.

Don’t get me wrong. This is not false humility or lack of confidence. I’ve never worried about having a gift or talent. I was good at school, at academics, at writing essays, at analysing literature. I received honours at university. But I have never shown any particular talent, have never shone at anything, music or art or whatever. I’ve done some things well and many things badly. ..I’ve always jokingly told people that the only thing that I am really good at is talking! I can talk your ear off!

So, to think that this part of my personality, used in the right way, may be a gift is surpising. Makes me feel less guilty about something of the things I do.

A nice revelation on the Annunciation, on the day we recall the revelation to Mary …

Luke, Chapter 1, verses 26-38In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb, andbring forth a son, and will call his name ‘Jesus.’ He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?” The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For everything spoken by God is possible.” Mary said, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word.” The angel departed from her.

Laetare Sunday , so called from the incipit of the Introit at Mass, “Laetare Jerusalem” (“O be joyful, Jerusalem”), is a name used for today, the fourth Sunday of the season of Lent. This Sunday is also known as Mid-Lent Sunday (in French mi-carême), and Rose Sunday, because the golden rose sent by the popes to Catholic sovereigns, used to be blessed at this time.

Priests are given the option to wear rose coloured vestments at mass held on this day, in place of the purple vestments normally worn during Lent.